Hughes



N. CARRICO.

METHOD OF MENDING ELECTRIC REStSTANCE ELEMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.22.192|.

1,415,524. Patented May 9,1922.

F Qg J 2 fiven Jlel Carr' O I (w;

.I NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NOEL-sumac, or SIDNEY, MONTANA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF rornam: c.

1. A l HUGHES, or EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

I ofltheUnitedlStates, residing at Sidney, in

W t'ric Besistance Elements, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in meiidingjie'lec'tricresistance elements and applies iiiorparticularly to those metallicresis'ta ice"elements commonly used for heatiiig iiffleetric heaters,flat irons, soldering iroii's'faiid'the like, which are made of a wireoriitibon or strand having a cross section of anyjfshape; butnot formedinto a helix o1} spiralijwith convolutions. v

Itfis'v ell known that'such an element sometimes becomes broken frommisuse or unusual'strains,orburns out at a thin or weak poiiit',"beforethe'usefulness of the element has expired. By the use of my 'inveriti'onanelement so broken can be quickly, easil and cheaply mended so as torestore its ormer usefulness, thus greatly.

prolon ingfitsflife.

IntIie accompanying drawings, I have illustrated the practice of myinvention in several ways. In Figure 1 I have illustrated in perspectivea ribbon element being mended by overlapping the broken ends. In Figures2 and 3 I have shown, in perspective, two methods of mending a brokenribbon element where the ends are not overlapped. In Figures 4, 5, 6 and7 I have shown three methods of mending a wire element.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. 8 and 9 indicate the broken ends of anelectric resistance element made in the form of a ribbon, such as iscommonly used in electric heaters, fiat irons, soldering irons and thelike. In the practice of my invention, the broken ends of the resistanceelement are overlapped as shown in Figure 1. A small amount of powderedborax is placed between the overlapped ends and some is placed adjacentthe broken end 8 on the side of the end 9 as indicated by 10. The amountof borax placed between the broken ends is not suflicient to prevent ametallic contact from bein; made. If so much borax is placed between theends as to prevent an electric circuit from being made, the two ends aresqueezed together and rubbed slightly back and forth until enough of theborax has been Specification of Letters Patent.

A METHOD OF MENDING ELECTRIC RESISTANCE ELEMENTS.

Patented May 9, 1922.

' Application filed January 22, 1921.- Serial No. 439,189.

forced out in order to restore an electrical contact. It is obvious,however, that a small amount of borair. will remain between the twometallic surfaces; After 'the broken ends have been thus overlapped andborax put in place, the normal operating circuit customarily usedthrough the resistance element is turned on, whereupon. the brokenoverlapped ends will become united. In the practice of my invention Iprefer to use partially dehydrated borax as. it is more adherent, and byits use excessive intumescence is avoided. Although Ihave stated that Iuse borax, it is obvious that, without detractmg from the spirit of myinvention, other substances may be used instead. For example, any alkalisimilar to borax or any flux may be used. t i

In Figures 2 and 3 I have shown slightly different methods of mending abroken ribbon element. These 'methodsare adapted for use where it isimpossibleflor undesirable. for any reason, to overlapthe ends of thebroken element. As shown in Figure 2, the broken ends 8 and 9 of theelement are bent back to form hooks, and a wire or piece of metal 20 isprovided tobridge the gap. The ends 21, 21 of the bridging member 20 arebent to form hooks adapted to engage with the hooks formed in the brokenends of the resistance element. Powdered borax, as indicated by 10, isapplied at the points of contact between the member 20 and the brokenends 8 and 9. When the parts are in position as shown in Figure 2, andthe borax has been applied, the normal operating current customarilyused through the re sistance element is turned on, whereupon the ends ofthe bridging member 20 will be come united to the broken ends of theresistance element. It is obvious that the member 20 must be anelectrical conductor of proper resistance to carry the normal operatingcurrent without burning out.

In Figure 3 I have shown a method of practicing my invention in whichthe broken ends 8 and 9 of the resistance element are not overlapped andare not formed into hooks. In the practice of this method a bridgingmember 25 similar in all respects to the bridging member 20 shown inFigure 2 is provided. except that its ends are not bent, The bridgingmember 25 is laid in position as shown in Figure 3, with its endsoverlapping the broken ends 8 and 9 of the lilg current cnstomaresistance clement Powdercd borax, as in' (heated by l0, is applied atthe points of contact, 1nd: the normal: operating current is turned on.1

In Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 I hare shown my invention as applied ito themending of broken wire resistance elements. In Figure 4-the broken; endsof -thewirc, as'indicated' cat'df by 10, is ii'ppliedat theipointsofcontact similarly to the mannerin wh ch it is i' lied in the mending ofribbon clementsi 'Vl li en the'eiid sfof the wireare in place andsistance e l'erncnt is turned on, wl iere'app'n the broltjli ends willfbecome iinited' 'witli 3,611 other'if they are in contach or' else tothe ends of the bri dging m emher. t iso'h'vio'us that the bridginginein'ber indicated by as in,

Figure i must be an electrical conductor" of properrefsistance carry thenormal 0 eratrily n'sedvthropgh tie resistanceelehientli" J I l At timesthevquantity of current flowing through the repair may he 'somefwhatincreasedhy Shorttircuiting sonie dfjhe coils,

However by the use of my invention the elen ent w'hlle in'place in themounting may be In each' of the metho'ds illustrated 'in Fig ures 4,5,-6. and'ff, powdered bora'x, as indi' quickly repaired using the normalcurrent, i. e., that reaching the device through its regular leads andwithout making any special connection; .This is highly important particularly with heavy translators like domestic ranges which cantie-restored to usefulness without removing the element as has beenheretofore required. L \Vhile Lhaveshown and described certainembodiments of my invention, it is to be un derstood that it is capableof many modifications. A Changes therefore in the construction andarrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as disclosed in the appended claims iniwhichit ismyintention to claim all 'n'oVelty inherent in m invention as broadly aspossible in view 6 the prior art.

Iclaim;

1. Them'etlmd of mending an'electric resistaneeei emept in placein itsmounting by hringingthe broken ends inc'ontact with the r i lv t br dng" fi e through theelez'nent and-'isaid bridging mom Ue'r't he current"which normally operates the translator f which'tlie' element is a,part.

2. The method of mending an electric resistance element in placel'inits-mounting by bringing the'broken; ends in contact with the ends ofiafbridgin member, applying a flux totlje'points o contact and passingthrough: thjeleinent a" ds'aid bridging nim:

her the current which normally operates the translator of which theelement is a part.

In witness whereof I hare hereunto set my hand and seal this1'3thcla'vofJanua'r f,1921.

,, 'N O-EL GARRICO. s.

and passir'ig'

